Zero Sum

"Unrelenting. Purposeful and thrilling! A debut that hits like a bullet with your name on it. - Early Reader Feedback

"Blake Crutchfield doesn't write heroes or villains - he writes apex predators with motive. Zero Sum is what happens when both are relentless, and both are lethal." - Early Reader Feedback

"In his debut novel, Crutchfield has done the impossible: write a story that even operators will enjoy! Zero Sum is a wild cinematic ride that blends realistic tactics and politics from the often shady world of PMC's. Coupling that with entertaining over-the-top action sequences the book is guaranteed to be a real page-turner for all comers. This story is bound to be a hit series on a streaming service and I would watch every episode! This is a BEAST of a book!" - JB Harris, Former Soldier, Cop, and Security Contractor


Private military contractor DragenDefense has all but eradicated the cybercrime network festering beneath the streets of Providence, Rhode Island. Hired to reinforce the city's digital surveillance grid their presence is felt-and their methods, though effective, play by no rules.

At the center of it all is Alex Dragen-a seasoned operator with a battlefield past and a sharp eye for the shadows. With roots in overseas combat, intelligence work, and private contracting, Alex guides his team through the danger that flows seamlessly from screen to street-where every click can trigger a bullet, and every enemy leaves wounds both digital and physical.

But a new threat rises from the past-personal, calculated, and armed with both encrypted criminal networks and ruthless loyalists. Twisting disbanded syndicates and black-market enforcers into a vision of power and depravity, this adversary sets Providence on fire - and enters the crosshairs of Alex Dragen.

Bracing and propulsive, Blake Crutchfield's swaggering debut takes no prisoners as vendettas and scores are settled. Set against iconic real-life locations in The Renaissance City, acts of sabotage and visceral one-upmanship turn the bustling hub into a battleground of blood, power, and consequences.

If Taylor Sheridan, Antoine Fuqua, and Cormac McCarthy met in a bar and shared scotch over a midnight war story, Zero Sum would be the result.

This isn't just a debut-it's the origin point of a legacy. Welcome to the DragenDefense World.